Olof’s Suitcase

Olof's Suitcase

Lasseter's Reef mystery solved

By Chris Clark

In 1930 Swedish immigrant Olof Johanson became the mystery man in the controversial and ultimately tragic attempt to find Lasseter’s “lost” gold reef in Central Australia. His role and what became of him remained unknown for over 80 years … until Melbourne film-maker Luke Walker began researching his 2012 documentary Lasseter’s Bones.

After Luke Walker contacted Olof’s Australian-born daughter Alvhild, the story finally began to unfold … just in time. In 2013 Alvhild Johanson died.

A year later, two of Alvhild’s sons traveled to Sweden to visit their grandfather’s grave and meet surviving members of his family. They were given the suitcase that Olof carried with him when he returned home 65 years earlier, along with a unique collection of photographs which recorded the 35 years Olof spent in Australia.

The puzzle was now complete.

Chris Clark is a Canberra historian who has been writing books for nearly 40 years without ever knowing about his family’s connection with the story of Lasseter’s Reef. This is his first title published since retiring from the Public Service in 2013, and the first in 25 years not on a defence subject.

His defence-related books (published as Chris Coulthard-Clark) include several biographies, a volume in the official war history series covering RAAF operations in Vietnam, a history of Australian Defence Industries, and the Encyclopedia of Australian Battles (now in its third edition).

Among his books reflecting his Canberra location are a history of Duntroon military college, a biography of Admiral Sir John Crace (born at Gungahlin), and an edited volume on Government House, Yarralumla.

Grace, Olof & Alvhilde

Available in Hardcover (ISBN: 9780992588090) through the following booksellers:

Also available in eBook (ISBN: 9780994232311) through

Check out with PayPal or as a Guest to use a Credit Card. A download link will be sent to your email address.

Available in Paperback (ISBN: 9780994232304) through the following booksellers:

Hardcover RRP: $39.95 Paperback RRP: $29.95 eBook RRP: $14.95

About us

Echo Books is an independent publisher based in Australia. We have authors from around the world

We publish, promote and distribute print and eBooks. We guide our authors through each step of the publishing process and create for them a handsome book.

We use print-on-demand technology to produce and distribute print books as economically as possible. We can produce hardcover and paperback print books. There are no expensive print runs and our books are never out of print

We distribute our books for sale through Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Book Depository, Booktopia, Fishpond, Angus and Robertson, Kobo etc.

We send sales data and royalties payments to each author at the end of each financial quarter for each of their titles.

Contact Echo Books

Contact Echo Books to ask us about publishing your print and eBooks. We will provide a comprehensive and obligation-free publishing proposal.